Starboard Backing Plates

[cburger]

I have to re-attach a couple heavy bronze deck cleats and am thinking about making the backer plates out of 1/2" to 3/4" Starboard material. Would appreciate some thoughts on the matter.

[Islandmike]

Im not sure what starboard material is. I have access to mahagony, so I use 3/4 inch pcs that that I have epoxied and large washers on the back of that. I know that many will not think this is adaquate but sometimes it is difficult to get SS and even tougher to get it drilled properly. I am confortable that the deck will rip out before the backing will fail.

[Weyalan]

I don't know what "starboard" (aside from the obvious) is either. Depending on how much load you are expecting the cleats will support, I would either go with stainless steel (316), or decent marine ply, with plenty of timber preserver, particularly in the end grain, and also in the bolt holes if you can.

[Pblais]

I would think mahogany is better than starboard. In many cases it's the thickness that is the issue. If you want a nice attractive overhead below then the backing plate for the clutches may be in an area below where you don't want something that thick. At some thickness with a big enough and thick enough washer(s) most anything will work so long as it won't corrode or rot.

[GordMay]

King “StarBoard” is a High Density PolyEthylene (HDPE) plastic (polymer).

I wouldn’t recommend any non-structural material, like StarBoard, for use as a backing plate.
Aluminum plate makes excellent backers.

Originally Posted by S/V Antares

Starboard is not a good "Sandwich" for core material as nothing will adhere to it....

Antares (Will) is correct, and I stand corrected.

[Islandmike]

I actually have some aluminum plate but thought there would be a reaction with the SS bolts and the aluminum?

[Pblais]

I actually have some aluminum plate but thought there would be a reaction with the SS bolts and the aluminum?

It's been done regularly. You have to seal and bed the hardware of course.

[S/V Illusion]

Starboard has a number of good uses onboard a boat because of it's synthetic properties making it impervious but using it as a backing plate provides very little structural support. It is easily compressed and is too flexible to provide any real support. Having said that, I'm sure people have used it for such purpose.

[AnchorageGuy]

Not to mention the fact that it is very flexible and your bedding material will not adhere to it.

[S/V Antares]

Starboard is not a good "Sandwich" for core material as nothing will adhere to it. That said I have used it as a back up on many through bolted hardware pieces. The 3/4" is very stiff and more important, it does not rot. For interior projects it holds self tapping screws well and is easy to work with. Great stuff.

[Tropic Cat]

I'm currently using a piece under the butt of my deck stepped mast and managed to get pieces glued together using superglue, but it took some doing. This stuff is pretty much indestructable when left to weather, but too flexible to use for backing material.

[rtbates]

Gorilla Glue will glue it and most anything else you can imagine

[Tropic Cat]

I had read that, so I tried that first. I used a clamping bench to assemble the pieces but it fell apart under stress as did epoxy. Superglue was my third choice and it worked.

[Pblais]

Gorilla Glue will glue it and most anything else you can imagine

Not really. I have some fiddles for the dinning table that had wood dowles to fit into the holes. They were glued with Gorilla glue and evry one of the glued dowles are coming loose. It won't stick to Corian counter material.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by cburger

I have to re-attach a couple heavy bronze deck cleats and am thinking about making the backer plates out of 1/2" to 3/4" Starboard material. Would appreciate some thoughts on the matter.

NOT!

A mininum of 1/4" SS plate is the best for cleats, and covering 150- 200% of the bolt pattern. e.g. 2" wide spacing of bolts, 6-8" plate depending on the strength of the deck.

Bolts can get sucked thru wood or plastic (washers or not) and cave in aluminum.

And you want to sandwitch that deck real tight! For storm cleats you'll want a large foot or another plate between the deck and cleat.